


Getting Back On Track - Part 3

by zibal_01



Category: Original Work, ice hockey - Fandom, sport - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 19:19:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10973706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zibal_01/pseuds/zibal_01
Summary: Apologies for the delay in posting this.  Real life - and the Toronto Maple Leafs - got in the way!





	Getting Back On Track - Part 3

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PurplePitty616161](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurplePitty616161/gifts).



> Apologies for the delay in posting this. Real life - and the Toronto Maple Leafs - got in the way!

Joe stared after Kasey.  Kasey had told him that Jonny and Colby needed a bit of time together, so who were the “them” that Kasey needed to get home for? To Joe’s knowledge, Kasey had never mentioned being in a relationship.  Joe was intrigued…

It didn’t take long for sleep to overtake Joe.  It had been a long day, filled with emotions: Jonny and Kasey confiding in him had drained him more than he had imagined was possible.

*****

When Joe awoke the following morning, he felt generally rested for the first time in months – well, since they won the Stanley Cup, he admitted to himself.  That was when his life had started to go downhill, fast.

Feeling the sting of tears welling in his eyes, Joe tried to shut down that thought.  He knew it would be difficult, he knew he would have to face it soon, but he just wasn’t ready… He pressed the buzzer and waited for Dr Anderson to appear…

But, he didn’t.  Instead, a younger doctor, who introduced himself as Dr Fairlie, appeared.  He ran through Joe’s obs with the minimum amount of conversation, leaving Joe feeling as though he’d done something wrong.  As Dr Fairlie turned to leave, Joe spoke, determined to find out what was going on – although, he already had a good idea.

“I thought Dr Anderson was my attending physician…” Joe started.  “I had been hoping to talk to him today.”

“Dr Anderson had other patients to see today,” Dr Fairlie replied bluntly.  “Your throat still looks inflamed.  I’ll have a nurse arrange a nutrition shake for you.”  And then he left.

Joe slumped back on his pillows, eyes closed.  He knew why Dr Anderson wasn’t seeing him today – because he knew what Colby had done.  Until Joe had mentioned that, there had been no reason to avoid him.  Joe sighed.  All he really wanted now was to go home…

The nurse came and went with the minimum of fuss, leaving Joe feeling lost.  He had no idea how long it would be until any of his friends… team mates, he corrected himself, visited him, and, without the medical staff to talk to, Joe’s day was going to be long.  He couldn’t even put the TV in his room on due to his restraints, and pressing the buzzer really didn’t seem to be worth the effort.  No-one was talking to him.

The loneliness and isolation that had led to him being in the hospital bed started to creep in around the edges of his consciousness.  Luckily, before melancholy set in, Colby appeared with Kasey in tow.

“Hi, Joe,” Colby sounded really cheerful.  “How are you today?”

“Confused,” Joe admitted.  Colby and Kasey exchanged worried glances before Joe continued.  “Well, I had a different doctor this morning, and he didn’t really talk to me… didn’t even ask me how I was.  Then the nurse didn’t talk to me either…”

“Has my dad been in to see you?” Colby asked.  Joe shook his head.  Colby sighed, “I’ll go and talk to him…”

Colby left, leaving Joe alone with Kasey.  Joe cleared his throat.  “Do you think it’s because I know about Colby?”

“Possibly,” Kasey sounded distant, as though his mind was elsewhere.  He shook his head, coming back to the present.  “When he was initially told what had really happened with Colby, he wouldn’t talk to Jonny.  Even walked out of the room when Jonny appeared…

“But, that was personal,” Kasey advised, “this is professional.  Colby will sort him out…”

“Maybe I should just transfer to a different hospital,” Joe responded.  “It would save a lot of trouble, especially for Colby.”

“There’s nowhere else for you to go, Joe,” Kasey advised.  “This is the only hospital in Miami with the specialist care that you need…”

“You mean psychiatrists?”

“Yeah,” Kasey confirmed.

“They have them back home, in Prague,” Joe commented.  “I could go home.”

Kasey shook his head, “The club won’t allow it.  Trust me.  Everything will be fine.  Colby will sort it…”

Meanwhile:

Colby entered his dad’s office without knocking, finding him reading files whilst drinking a large coffee.  He didn’t give his dad a chance to talk.

“What’s going on?” Colby demanded.

“Well, I’m trying to sign off on these files,” he replied.  “Why?”

“Why haven’t you checked on Joe today?”

“He doesn’t need me anymore,” Dr Anderson stated.  “Dr McKinlay, from Psychiatry, will be down to talk to him today.  Anything medical can be dealt with by my Registrars.  They’re perfectly capable.”

“This is because he _knows_ , isn’t it?” Colby’s dad refused to meet his eye, looking anywhere but at his son.  “I’m right.  He needs your help and you’re holding a grudge against _him_ because _I_ told him that _I’d_ tried to commit suicide.” His father flinched at Colby’s words.

“You never understood _why_ I tried to end things, you never even _tried_ to understand,” Colby continued.  “but, that was personal… this is professional.  Do your damned job!”


End file.
